Bee Feeders

There are of course times when beekeepers have to supplement the bees food. Click for more information on what to feed bees and when. But this page deals with the mechanism/equipment needed to feed bees.

Some feeders are specific to certain hives like this one so make sure you are looking at the right thing.

A design that can be used on most hives is called the Contact Feeder and can be purchased from Thorne who first invented it in the 1960’s. Its basically a white plastic bucket with a 3” phosphor bronze mesh disc is sealed into the centre of the lid. Fill it with sugar to about 1” from the top and add warm water. Stir to mix and release air trapped in the sugar. Continue until fully dissolved. Add more water until the feeder is completely full. Press lid on firmly and securely and quickly invert the feeder. Place over the feed hole of the crownboard on the hive. Inside the feeder a vacuum forms so the sugar solution remains in the feeder until the bees feed through the mesh.

There are also frame feeders, entrance feeders, jar attachment feeders, drop in feeders, rapid feeders, jumbo rapid feeders……yes there is a lot.

Personally I like the contact feeders. Simple, cheap and effective but have a look around some stores online and get whichever you like. Then get on our forum and tell us if its any good or not.